Hobbies

[Susan_Jane]

Hi everyone, just wanted to say that I am so pleased that I have taken up an old hobby of mine that I loved before my stroke 6 years ago. I was always an avid reader and read at every opportunity, not often enough, as the head cook and bottle washer for a family of 5, that usually meant in bed at the end if the day
My stroke affected my vision and I find it difficult to manage a book with one arm. I really missed reading, especially having so much time on my hands, it was an ideal hobby.
I am pleased to say that my husband has finally talked me into buying myself a Kindle and I’m so happy to say that I haven’t stopped reading since​:blush:. It’s so easy, I have altered the font size to suit my vision and have also bought a stand to put the kindle on and just have to swipe across the screen to turn the pages . I can’t believe I didn’t buy a kindle ages ago and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading.

Regards Sue

[EmeraldEyes]

I started using a kindle many moons ago because holding books open was wearing on the fingers. I’ve a touch of arthritis in them so for that reason alone it has been useful. Kindle is also good for audio books for those with visual impairments too.

[Susan_Jane]

My husband has been a kindle user for years but I always preferred a book and loved going to the book shop or visiting the library but I’m now hooked on the kindle
Regards Sue

[Mrs5K]

@Susan_Jane Well done on getting back to reading. i was an avid reader too pre stroke. In fact i still have around 200 books to read - currently gathering dust.

I might have to try a kindle but i really love a proper book

[KGB]

@Susan_Jane

That is brilliant!! Well done keep at it!!

I really am devastated that I can’t read books anymore and cant read screens for more than 10 mins and I’m sorry but I don’t like reading on screens at night in bed.

I have tried various things but I have to just accept that it’s not about scanning or that it’s just after a page of a novel - even in large print my eyes just go!!

So I am so so pleased for you and I will keep trying I promise.

In the meantime this is my bedtime story every night

My hobby now is basically this forum and listening to afternoon quiz shows I’m afraid

But Keep going please and tell me about anything good you’ve read!! The last book I read before my strokes was the Phillip Pullman latest…

Keep cool K

[EmeraldEyes]

@KGB

Phillip Pullman

Have you His Dark Materials trilogy? My daughter got me into the TV series from the books, she’s read the books too. But tv series has got Lin-Manuel Miranda an
American songwriter and actor and best known for the musicals In the Heights and Hamilton…my favourite too

[KGB]

Well @EmeraldEyes

The simple answer is yes!! love them read all before my strokes and seen the plays at the NT and the series on TV!!

The more complicated one that my polar bear - my main polar bear - I have a few - ((he’s called Polar Bear) would tell you if he could - he is getting on - 21 in October - he would say that after my OT crocheted him some armour he waxes lyrical about how he’s descended from iorek byrnison himself ha ha ha

BTW my OT can crochet and talk!!

Oh and saw Hamilton 2 weeks ago!!

had to walk out at the end for the last 10 mins due to lights etc but saw the rest on the film!! Loved it.

xx

[EmeraldEyes]

My daughter and I are actually going to see Hamilton in November, it’s on in Manchester. I love it and it was my daughter who got me hooked

Polar Bear looks very similar to my son’s, his was from the Ty Beanie range. He’s had it for over 22yrs, very loved, very little fur left, stuffing diminished, holes stitched up in many places and now too fragile to take another needle, so kept in a bag now, but he’s still got him

[KGB]

OMG I love it!!!

Maybe get him one from the WWF?!

These are Kush and Mini Polar Bear (mini polars). Both WWF adoptees!

They are best friends and Kush belongs to my housemate. He loves his snow leopard!! But not as much as I love polar bears

What is your son’s called?

Polar Bear (Polars) is from the Natural history museum and I got him after seeing the wildlife photographer of the year award in 2002…

He has had a couple of ops and they don’t make him anymore!! Just like your son’s!

that’s a lot more recent than 21 years ago

but pre-strokes - october 2021 - took Polars for his birthday

[EmeraldEyes]

@KGB

What is your son’s called?

He calls him Pooh Bear. He was given as a gift for my sons birth so we had called Polie. But when our son learnt to talk, he came out of nursery one day wanting his Pooh Bear. After quite a bit of head scratch…and tears from him…we finally figured out he was referring to Polie. We recon he’d had a story in nursery on Winnie the Pooh and immediately associated him with his own bear
Anyway, that’s how Pooh Bear got his name

[KGB]

@EmeraldEyes

That is an awesome way to name a bear!! How cool. Love a story behind a name! I cried a bit when you said how he cried because all he wanted was his polar bear!! When I was on my way to hospital my housemate said 'don’t worry I’ve got Polars he’s with you )

May I ask who gave Pooh Bear (simple PB ha ha) to him?

Well seeing as I am having one of those… Want bp below 150 or 100 before bed. latest 103 down from 115 earlier thankfully. Got some music on Days like this Van Morisson at the mo.,

So I try and adopt an animal for someone every couple of months at the moment. So far since S-day as I call it (stroke day 22 nov 22) I have WWF’d the following to people:

Jasmine (9) - Ice - Polar Bear [my fav name of them all i’m afraid as Isbjorn is the Norwegian name for polar bears meaning literally ice bear! - apart from Polar Bear of course]

Ava (2.75) - Bear - Polar Bear (even though Ava can’t really come up with a proper name for her bear, when I see her she rushes over and says “Mini Polars!!!” and holds up Bear and I give her MP and she then sits with them both chatting to them and she knows who is who!! - just melts my heart). Oh and when she walks around to everyone and stops and shows them the bears and says ‘mini polars, bear, grrrrr’

Emily (3) - Lenny - Amur Leopard (the WWF no longer do Amur Leopard adoption! She may have been the very last or one of the last to get a Lenny!! They stopped literally 2 weeks after I adopted him for her…)

JP (50) - Kush - Snow Leopard (MP’s best friend as JP is mine)

Margaret (78) - Roberto - Rhino

Me - Mini Polar Bear - of course!! (he’s 3 in Feb 2024)

MK (37) - Tiger - Sundar

I have named bears:

Polars

Mini Polars

Longyear Polars

Spitzberg Polars

Silver Polars - he’s a mad japanese inspired origami silver polar bear who is genetically engineering giant snow leopards and polars bears to protect him!!

Potty Polars

And my Two PBI tracked bears Barbara and Prudhoe - Babhoe to me

https://www.google.com/search?q=amazon+fahlo+polar+bear+tracking+bracelet&rlz=1CAKWCM_enGB975GB975&oq=amazon+fahlo+polar+bear+tracking+bracelet&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60l3.11294j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Plus many many unnamed ones ha ha.

I am aware I’m mad!

Be cool everyone

[Bobbi]

I remember, I think, in the long ago far distant past, there was someone used to post a picture, I think maybe of a duck, in all sorts of exotic locations around the world.

Maybe you could hitch a ride with David Attenborough and attempt something similar.

Do keep posting the experiences of Polar.

Keep on keepin’ on

[KGB]

I have to dig out old actual photos ha ha!!!

But here are a few for you

Polars in Hong Kong with his new mate

He also likes it if I take his blanket with us…

Polars on a JAL plane just in the air after leaving Tokyo flirting with the stewardesses

Kyoto

Dhaka, Bangladesh (sorry about me in the pic!)

Canary Islands

London Stadium

On an A380

Bromley!!

With my late cat Vlad

And of course Polars and Mini Polars in our cabin on the boat in the Arctic ocean at 79 degrees north

[Bobbi]

@KGB

. . . that looks like one happy Polar Bear.

[EmeraldEyes]

@KGB

I am aware I’m mad!

Mad no, not at all! Excitable and refreshingly lively are some your traits coming across to me And I’m loving this diversionary post, it’s good for your mental health to take a break away from the strokes from time to time
And I think my favourite polar bear name on your list is Longyear Polars well, second to Pooh Bear of course

Wish I’d even thought of getting my son one of those Polar Bear blankets, I just never thought. I used to have one with horses on it, it was so soft

[KGB]

Thanks @EmeraldEyes

That means a lot to me

This is Longyear Polars (he is named so because I bought him in Longyearbyen - the ‘capital’ of Svalbard!)

This is Kush and MP playing with Spitzberg Polars (Spitzberg / Spitzbergen is an alternative name for Svalbard and I bought him in the Svalbard Hotell (yes with 2 l’s ha ha) as they had one on display and I asked to buy him ad they said ok )

Do you have a pic of Pooh Bear? I have told MP and Kush about him and they want to see a pic!!

https://www.redbubble.com/shop/?iaCode=u-decor&query=polar%20bears

Stay cool

[EmeraldEyes]

It’s actually quite hard to find any full pics of PB, he’s always dangling off my son’s hand, wrapped in a bear hug or lying at his feet

This is in PB’s more recent threadbare years, doing a spot of wine tasting on a narrowboat on the Llangollen canal

[KGB]

Wow I did not expect that!!! He’s sooooooooo coooooool!!!

Love it thanks you. I will show MP and Kush when they are done playing!

He still has his claws!!! Polars’ nose isn’t black anymore as he keeps kissing stewardesses!! What a flirt!

I love him xxxxx

Stay cool

Lenny and Emily!! My best friend’s niece!

[EmeraldEyes]

Now she is absolutely adorable looking, she’s gorgeous

[DeAnn]

If this is madness, I am all for it. My 38 year old daughter has a monkey that goes everywhere with her, and the 35 year old, a cat. Grandson takes them where ever he goes as well. The stuffies get around, and it makes us all smile. Here’s to polar bears, traveling, photographing, and sharing love and smiles with all.